Knotter device



March 17, 1925. 1,529,914

R. V. PROCHAZKA KNOTTER DEVICE Filed April 18', '1923 r I lib-l I [A i'atented Mar. 17, 1925.

STATES tszaam RUDOLPH v. rnoonnzm, or CICERO, ILLINOIS.

KNOTTER DEVICE.

Application filed April 18,

Z '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUooLPH V. PR0- OI-IAZKA, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at 2106 South 56th Ave, Cicero, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements inKnotter Devices, of which the following is afull, clear, concise, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,forming a part of this specification.

My invent-ion relates to grain binders and more particularly to knottersfor tying. the bundles of grain prior to their discharge from the grainbinders.

In the construction of knotting devices, it is common practice, at thepresent time, to

provide a pair of members adjacent the knotter hook, one a twine holderand the other a cover which applies pressure against the holder, forgripping twine and holding the end thereof as the twine is fed to theknotter hook by an oscillating needle. These members have relativemovement, the twine holder rotating while the cover is held stationary.The cover applies a pressure against the twine holder in order to holdthe end of the twine therebetween during each cyclic movement of theknotter. The pressure is applied by a spring through an arm, which holdsthe cover stationary. It is, therefore, apparent that considerable wearupon the twine holder and cover will result, this wear being confined tothe engaging surfaces of these members, due to this pressure andrelative movement. The efiicient functioning of the knotter willtherefore be eventually destroyed.

It is well known that the knotter is a vital, as well as an importantpart, of a grain binder. If there is the slightest defect in theconstruction of the knotter, or if the engaging surfaces of the twineholder and cover are worn, the end of the twine will not be held andreleased at the proper time. The end of the twine will, therefore, notpass through the loop of the knot, which is formed by the knotter hookor bill. The result is that the bundles of grain will be discharged fromthe machine, untied.

To remedy this difficulty, it has heretofore been necessary to replacethese worn me1nbers with new parts. Removal of the members is adifficult matter and requires con- 1923. Serial No. 632,823.

siderable care to prevent the breaking of the knotter frame, which is ofcast iron. A

pensate 101' the wearing of the engaging surfaces of the twine holderand cover.

More specifically this means comprises a pair of wearing plates adaptedto cooperate with the engaging surfaces so that therelati've rotationand pressure between the twine holder andthe cover will not resultinwear. on these engaging surfaces. a

no i A further object of my invention resides in the productionof"an/improved form of' these wearing plates. Inasmuch as there isconsiderable friction between the engaging surfaces, due to the pressureof the cover spring, it is essential that each wearing by made tocooperate with each member in its relative movement. l

As a further object of my invention, I contemplate providing a coverwhich is to be placed over the knotterho ok or bill. As

is well known to those skilled in the art, it is essential that theknotter hook or bill maintains its high surface finish, in "order thatthe twine may freely move thereover when the knot is removed fromthe'knotterhook or bill at the end of the knit-forming operation. It hasbeen found that this high surface finish is easily lost during thestorage periods of the binder. Consequently, by providing a cover forthe knotter hook, and if desired, immersing the same in a lubri-j cantwithin the cover, this highly finished surface of the knotter hook maybe retained during the life of the binder.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from thefollowing specification and drawings wherein I have illustrated apreferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings-- 'Figurel is a perspective view of a knotter mechanism,including the knotter frame,

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the wearing plate provided for the twineholder;

- Fig. 3 is also a similar view of the wearing plate provided for thecover;

Fig. 4 1s a perspective view of the twine holder;

' Fig. 5 is a similar view of the cover;

. Fig. 6 illustrates the manner in which one of the wearing platesengages the twine holder; p i

Fig. 7 similarly illustrates the manner in which the other wearing plateengages the cover;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the knotter hook or bill; i

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the cover there-for; I

Fig. 10 illustrates the manner in which the cover lies over the knotterhook when the grain binder is not in use; and,

Fig. 11' is a side elevational view of the twine holder,- cover andwearing-plates in theirassembled relation. I v

i The operation of knotter devices is well known to those skilled in theart. I, therefore, do not considerit conducive to a clear understandingof my invention to explain in detail the operation of the knotter deviceshown herein, but consider'it merely necessary to explain the purpose ofthe various parts thereof, in order for one to comprehend. clearly thefunction ,of the wearing plates and the cover which encloses over theknotter hook, while the binder is not in use.v I

The knotter is suitably supported above the binder deck (not shown) on acast iron frame 1. This frame 1 may be carried in any desired manner,but preferably in a manner permitting-a pinion 2 on the twine holdershaft to mesh with a driving gear on thebinder. Atthe end of the twineholder shaft, a twine holder member 5 is mounted, and is adapted to bedriven by the pinion 2. p A cover member 6 is adapted to close over theunder side of twine holder 5, and be held thereagainst under pressure byacoil spring 7 on a shaft 8. Shaft-.8 is

' provided with a lower end projection 9,

which holds cover 6 stationary and in engagement with the twine holder5.

A knotter hook or bill 10 is mounted for rotation adjacent to the twineholder 5v and cover 6. Frame 1 similarly supportsthis k'notter hook, andcarries a driving pinion 11, so that the latter may mesh with anothergear upon the binder, whereby the knotter hook will be suitably rotatedto form a double loop of twine around oneend thereof. After this doubleloop of twine is charge end of the machine.

formed, an arm (not shown) moves forwardly and pushes the grain towardthe dis- This operation causes the twine, thus twice looped about theknotter hook to be pulled therefrom, while the hook 12 at this moment isclosed with one end of the twine gripped thereby, so that this end oftwine will be pulled through the double loop. Thus the knot is formed.

On the next bundling and knotting operation, an oscillating needle (notshown) moves forwardly to lay the twine over the knotter hook, and alsoin a groove 18 on the top face of the twine holder .A one hundred andeighty degree rotation of the twine/holder 5 will cause av portion ofthe twine to be caught between the twine holder 5 and cover 6 whereuponthe twine will be out One end of the twine-is then left in the holder.while the other" end is freed to permit the discharging ofv the bundleof grain as soon as the knot has been completed;

It is to be here noted that the end of the twine caught betweenthet-wine holder 5 and the. cover 6 partially lies in one of thegrooyes15 on the under side or engaging surface 16'of the twine holder.A portionof the twine is gripped by one of the sur: faces designated 17,just back of the grotw 15011 the twine holder 5, and thesurfacedesignated 18 on the engaging surface 21 of the cover 6'. The pressureapplied by the coil spring 7, between these'two members 100 causes thesurfaces 17 and.18 to grip the twine firmly until the following groove15, or rather the end of thesurface 17, advances past the point 19 onthe cover 6. The

twine is then freed to complete the formation of the knot on the knotterhook or bill 10. The groove 20 in the cover 6 allows the twine to fillthe entire groove 15 before the twine is gripped by the surfaces 17 and18.

Thus it is apparent that the surfaces 17 and 18 and grooves 15 and 20perform an important part inthe formationof the knot by the knotter hookor bill 10. If these surfaces are permitted to wear, the depth of thegrooves 15 will beaccordingly decreased.v Hence the twine will not bepermitted to fill these grooves 15 before being gripped by thetwineholder 5 and cover 6.

As before stated, my inventioncontenr 12o plates providing wearingplates 24: and 25, the former for cooperating with the engaging surfaces16 and the latter for" cooperating with the engaging surface 21.

It will be noted in Figs. '2, 4 and 6 that the wearing plate24c is madeso as to conform substantially to the configuration of engaging surface16. Likewise, the wear ing late 25 is made to conform substantiallytothe configuration of engaging surface 21. Thus the passage of the twinebetween the twine holder 5 and the cover 6 is not in any way interferedwith, nor is the rotation of the twine holder hindered.

Instead of being gripped between the surfaces 17 and 18 on the twineholder 5 and the cover 6, respectively, the twine is gripped between thesurfaces 26 and 27 on the wearing plates 24: and The wearing plate 24 iscut away at 28 in order to clear the grooves 15. Adjacent to these cutaway portions, the margin of the plate 24 is formed into downwardlyturned flanges 29. The ends of these flanges are bent into angularlyformed lips 30, which grip portions 31 on the twine holder 5, sothat-the wearing plate 2 2 will be made to follow the twine holder inits movement, in the direction of the arrow shown in 6.

The wearing plate is provided with projecting arms 32 and 33, the arm 33being adapted to lie in a notch 35 in cover 6 to prevent relativemovement between itself and the cover. Along one side of the wearingplate 25, a turned down edge 36 is provided for preventing the wearingplate from interfering with the functioning of the groove 20, inasmuchas the edge holds the plate in place over the wearing or engagingsurface 21 and prevents the plate from slipping over and covering thegroove.

Thus it is seen that both of the wearing plates 24- and are held upontheir re speotive engaging surfaces. The pressure between these engagingsurfaces and the rotation of the twine holder 5 and the wearing plate24% can not, in any possible way, displace the wearing plates. Hence theengaging surfaces 16 and are properly protected against wear.

By inserting a pointed edged instrument between the cover 6 and thetwine holder 5 for temporarily separating them, the wearing plates maybe easily inserted. Hence, it will be seen that it is not necessary todisassociate the entire knotting device in or ler to mount these wearingplates.

If the knotter is first used without the wearing plates, their insertionat a later time, say after the engaging surfaces 16 and 21 have beenworn, will obtain the advantages of a new knotter.

Likewise, if the wearing plates 24. and 25 are used when the knotter isnew, they may be removed after worn. The engaging surfaces 16 and 21having not been put into direct wearing engagement with each otherbefore this time, the knotter will function the same as when new.

F or reasons well known to those skilled in the art, the surfaces of theknotter hook or bill 10 must be kept in a hi 'hly polished condition.The twine is permitted to slide easily off the knotter hook 10 after theknot has been formed. As pointed out, it has been my e\perience that theknotter hook will, in time tend to rust, especially during the seasonsof the year when binders are not used. To preserve this highly polishedfinish,I contemplate as part of my present invention the mounting of acap or cover over the knotter hook 10. The cover 35 is preferably filledwith a grease or lubri cant, and is pushedup-wardly over the knotterhook, so that the latter will be entirely immersed in the lubricant Itis to be noted that the cover 35 is shaped so as to fit closely overtheknotted hook. I consider this shape particularly novel in that it holdsthe cover 35 in place.

It will be observed that the wearing plates 2% and 25 have been designedso as to fit upon the engaging surfaces 16 and 21. I am awarethat manytypesof kn'otters are in use, and that the relation of the twine holder5 and cover 6, together with their respective engaging surfaces varyaccording to the different type of kn'otters'. Practically everydifferent make or type of binder is provided with a different type ofknotter. I, therefore, wish it to be understood that my inventioncontemplates the provision of wearing plates which may be adapted to anytype of knotter.

WVithout further elaboration, theforegoing will so fully explain thegist of my invention, that others may, by applying current knowledge,readily adopt the same for use under varying conditions of service,without eliminating certain features, which may properly be said toconstitute the essential items of novelty involved, whichv items areintended to be defined and secured to me by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a knotter hook, a pair of relatively movable membersfor gripping the end of twine as the twine is fed to said knotter hook,and means adapted to be interposed between said relatively movablemembers for preventing the wearing thereof.

2. In combination, a pair of relatively movable members, means forapplying a pressure to one of said members whereby twine may be grippedbetween said mem-' bers, and wearing elements adapted to be insertedbetween said members to prevent the wearing thereof.

3. In combination, a pair of relatively movable members provided withengaging surfaces between which twine is adapted to be held, and meansadapted to be inserted between said engaging surfaces for preventing thewearing thereof.

4. In combination, a pair of relatively movable members provided withengaging & v

surfaces between which twine is adapted to be held, said surfaces beingprovided with grooves in which the twine is adapted to lie when held,and wearing plates having a configuration similar to that of saidsurfaces for cooperating therewith and for preventing the wearingthereof.

5. In combination, a pair of relatively movable members provided withengaging surfaces thereon, said surfaces having grooves therein, saidgrooves serving to eonfine twine between said members and permit itsremoval and the replacement of new twine during each cyclicmovement ofone of the members, and means between said surfaces for preventing thewearing thereof as the result of said movement.

6. In combination, a pair of relatively movable members provided withengaging surfaces thereon., said surfaces having grooves therein forreceiving and gripping twine between said movable members, platesadapted for insertion betweensaid surfaces for cooperation with said.menrbers in their relative movement, and means permitting each plate tofollow its cooperating member in the movement thereof. 1

'7. In combination, a pair of relatively movable-members between. whichtwine is adapted to be gripped, and'wearing plates cooperating with eachof said members and following the same in its relative movement with theother member.

In witness whereof, I havehereunto sub scribed my name.

RUDOLPH V. PROCHAZKAE

